Prodigious Bonds
by MysticPhoenix1992
Summary: AVALANCHE is reunited again and a three-month vacation in Costa del Sol is just what the team needs. During the time period, bonds between the war heroes increase, while some decline. Friendship, love, romance, anguish are all simple emotions that flow through each comrade as time goes on. All criticism and reviews are welcomed. Rated M for several reasons in later chapters.
1. Reunion

**Okay, this story focuses on multiple pairings and bonds between AVALANCHE and the people who are associated with them. There is a main pairing in this story, but can you guys guess which one it is? My writing has gotten better, and hopefully everything will go smoothly. Without further ado, let's read the first chapter. All reviews and criticism are welcomed.**

Saving the world three times back-to-back was a bit tiring to the teammates of AVALANCHE After the third time, everyone went their separate ways. Cloud and Tifa still lived inside 7th Heaven, while Cloud continued his delivery business. Yuffie went back to Wutai, against her will of course, and claimed the throne as Empress of Wutai. Cid still rode around on the _Shera_, smoking every cigarette he could get his grubby hands on. Red returned back to the Cosmo Canyon, and there, he became the Alpha feline, protecting the few people that resided in the canyons, and the people who also lived nearby. Cat Sith didn't really have a place to stay so Red kindly took him in, and it was a great decision because the children there enjoyed a talking cat. Barret moved across the road from 7th Heaven, where he and Marlene resides. He had it build a couple of days after Omega was defeated. Marlene loves the fact that she now has her own room. No one really knew where Vincent went, but everyone concluded that he went back to the Shinra Mansion, hoping that he didn't go back to the coffin.

Everyone was too busy in their life to check on Vincent, and when they finally did have time to breathe, they spent their time relaxing in their private confinements. A year after their final battle, they would be reunited once again. Yuffie came up with a plan that everyone agreed on: they were to go to Costa del Sol and have a three-month vacation there. The entire group pitched in to rent a vacation condo on one of the most popular beaches there. Everyone, with the exception of Vincent, was overjoyed with the idea and a month later, Tifa was in her bedroom packing her third swimming suit. For a three-month vacation on a beach, she was going to enjoy every moment. She sealed the flap that was on her duffle bag and kindly placed it with her other belongings.

"Tifa?" Cloud called out in the hallway.

"I'm in my bedroom."

Moments later, Cloud opened the door and noticed the suitcases stacked on each other in a neat pile in the corner of the room.

"Is all that really necessary?" Cloud asked, tilting his head to the suitcases.

Tifa smiled, glanced over at the luggage, and back at him. "I'm leaving for three months. I need feminine products, hair products, shoes, clothes, and jewelry."

"Women…." Cloud murmured as he walked out of the door. After their last fight in assisting Vincent, Tifa had hoped that Cloud would come around to at least asking her out on a date. She felt like they were a family, with Denzel being adopted by the both of them, but something was missing. Tifa pushed those thoughts aside as she began grabbing panties and bras.

Cloud was downstairs packing the lunch that Tifa made for the group the previous night. He noticed that she a made what she called 'goodie bag'. Tifa always said to him that the reason why it was called that was because of all the things that were stuffed inside it were junk food. He noticed that Tifa wrote the names of each team member on the plastic bag, except for Vincent. Cloud wasn't surprised that no one could contact Vincent. It has been a year since he heard from or seen Vincent, and no one else in the group brought him up in their frequent conversations they would have over the Internet. He did, however, notice one goodie bag with the words 'spare' written on the bag. He placed the bag carefully in the cooler, and went into the fridge for some cold drinks.

Moments later, he heard the front door opened and he slightly turned his head to see Tseng and Shelke standing in the doorway.

"Good morning Cloud." Tseng responded as he took a seat at the bar, with Shelke right behind him.

"Good morning Shelke and Tseng." Cloud replied as he put the rest of the refreshments in the cooler.

"Tifa will give you guys your pay. Denzel is currently sleeping in his room, and Barret is on his way with Marlene. Tifa also left a list of things that Denzel is allergic to, but he pretty much eats everything. He's not a picky eater. Oh, his bedtime is at nine." Cloud said to Tseng and Shelke.

"Do we have to read him a bedtime story too?" Tseng asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Cloud rolled his eyes, and Shelke and Tseng laughed at him. Cloud pointed out the list, and Tseng and Shelke nodded. "What time does he usually wake up?" Shelke asked.

"Eight, so he should be getting up in two hours from now."

"Whoa! It's time for a vacation!"

Barret's voice boomed through the bar as he walked in with a sleeping Marlene in his arms. Everyone waved at Barret, who was already making his way up the stairs. He went inside Tifa's room and greeted her.

"Hey Tifa, are you ready to have fun for a change?"

Tifa giggled. "Yes I am. This vacation is just what I needed."

Barret laid Marlene gently on the bed. "Do you need any help with your bags?"

"You can take the suitcases. I got the duffle bags." Tifa replied.

Barret held a suitcase handle in each hand, and Tifa grabbed the duffle bags. Tifa smiled as soon as she saw Shelke and Tseng. She reached into her pocket, and gave them their well-deserved pay. Tifa noticed that Cloud went ahead and packed everything so she sat in the available barstool next to Shelke.

"Did Cloud go over everything with you two?" When they both nodded, she thanked Cloud.

Barret, Cloud, Tifa, Tseng, and Shelke spent this time to catch up on things. Although Barret lived across the road from Cloud and Tifa, he didn't see them often. He would occasionally come by and say hi to the both of them, and allowed Marlene to come along with him. Everyone stopped talking for a brief moment as they heard a whirling sound above the bar. They happily cheered as they knew that Cid was making a landing. It was more efficient to travel on the _Shera_ than by any other transportation. If something was to happen, they could easily cancel, and hop on the _Shera_ without a problem. Plus, taking public transportation was a bust for all of them, considering the fact that they are famous, and everyone wants to be around every AVALANCHE member. Everyone grabbed their luggage, with Tseng and Shelke helping along the way. They went outside and saw the Shera parked in front of the bar. Cid came walking down the ramp with a cigarette dangling from his mouth as usual.

"If you wanna check in at ten then I suggest you get ya asses in here so we can go. I have to make a quick stop and pick up the brat."

Everyone laughed as they boarded the _Shera_ with their luggage. Tseng and Barret went back to his place so Barret could grab his luggage.

"If you need any extra clothes, Marlene has the key to the house. If you wanna get it now, you have to get it from her neck. It's on a gold chain." Barret instructed to Tseng.

He nodded, and helped Barret with the rest of his bags. After everyone was safely aboard the ship, Cid closed the ramp and went to his driving seat. Cloud, Barret, and Tifa waved to Tseng and Shelke until the ramp was completely closed. Cid carefully pulled the steering wheel up so the _Shera_ could go up, and he sped away from 7th Heaven.

Everyone was now settling into their rooms. Tifa thought, at times, it would be great to fly across the continents and really enjoy the sight as appose to fighting, not realizing the beauty that each place resonated. She placed all of her things in a corner with an exception of a few items that she sat aside to wear for the rest of the day. She didn't want to dig in her bags until she was ready to unpack them for good. It was now 7:30 and Cid informed everyone that he has to go to Wutai to pick up Yuffie. Tifa assumed that Red was already there, since Cid wasn't going by the Cosmo Canyon to pick him up. She had gotten into her bed and succumbed to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, Cid was landing the Shera in front of the Wutainese mansion that Yuffie lived in. As Cid let down the ramp, he saw Yuffie's father, Godo, with an unpleasant expression upon his face. Cid huffed as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag of it.

"I do hope that you will not be smoking around my daughter." Godo spat.

Cid glared at him as he dismissed the smoke from his lungs. "Your daughter is on my ship. She follows my orders or her little ass will be dangling from the roof of this damn thing!"

Godo gasped as he drew his weapon, a measly-looking dagger, out on Cid. Cid snorted as he looked at the pitiful weapon. "Don't you dare talk like that about my daughter!"

"I've been talking like this about her for the past four years! Where the hell have you been?"

"Why you piece of sh-

"Can you two men act civil instead of fighting for a change?"

Godo and Cid glanced up at Yuffie, who was at the top of the entrance of the mansion with her hand on her hip. Her servants were carrying her bags towards the Shera. Cid snorted again as he took another drag of his cigarette. Yuffie sighed as she walked towards her father and Cid.

"Good morning Cid…..father." She glanced at Godo, who still was staring at Cid intently.

"I'll be back in three months or so." Yuffie said as she proceeded to walk on the ramp.

"What do you mean by that?" Godo questioned.

Yuffie spun around and glared at her simple-minded father. "It means that I'm going to be gone for at least three months. Who knows, I may order my friends here to keep me hostage."

Yuffie jogged the rest of the way up. Cid laughed as he put out his cigarette; he laughed harder when he saw Godo's veins in his head throb.

"She'll be back whenever she wants to come back." Cid boarded the Shera and took one good look at Godo as he pressed the button to make the ramp go up. "That is, if she comes back. After all, she is the empress and you're her lapdog."

Cid went into hysterics as he saw a glimpse of Godo's feeble attempts to break through the ramp. Cid went over by the wheel and pressed the usual buttons he did to his ship so it could go the way he wanted it to.

"Thanks for putting him in his place. That man gets on my nerve every time I see him." Yuffie said as she struggled to pick up her things.

"No problem brat. Shera will help you out with those."

Yuffie glared at Cid for calling her a brat, but didn't have time to retaliate because Shera was approaching her. It wouldn't be appropriate on Yuffie's end if she cursed out her husband. The women greeted each other, and Shera guided Yuffie to her room while carrying her bags.

"Thanks for helping out Shera." Yuffie said as they finally made it to her room. "You look kind of tired." Yuffie noticed this when she gave Shera her full attention.

"Yeah I know. I helped Cid with making sure the _Shera_ was in perfect condition." She replied happily.

"How does it feel having a ship named by you?" Yuffie teased.

Shera's face was now pink. "It's the nicest thing he has ever done for me. I even posed nude for him for that center piece on the floor."

Yuffie's eyes widened in horror as Shera laughed at her. Shera left the bedroom, leaving Yuffie completely practically brain dead.

Two hours later, Cid finally arrived at Costa del Sol. He made an announcement on the intercom-mainly it was made for Shera- to tell everyone to get their things ready. Luckily for him, he and Shera's things were on the _Shera_, so he didn't have to lug a lot of luggage. Tifa rubbed the crust out of her eyes as she approached the window and saw the ocean waves. She plastered a smile on her face as she grabbed everything that she could for now and ran out of her room, running into Yuffie.

"Sorry Yuffie. I'm a little excited about this vacation."

"No worries. You aren't the only one. Isn't it great to just come to a place and relax for three months without worrying about your duties at home really?"

Tifa nodded in agreement as her and Yuffie began walking down the hallway. "Tell me about it. Since we saved the world, everyone now wants to drink and have a quick meal at 7th Heaven. Not to mention I'm a mother too."

"Oh, trust me when I say I believe you." Yuffie said as she adjusted her grip on one of the bags she was carrying. "I run an entire population of people while dealing with a jerk-of-a-father."

Tifa sighed. "That must be hard."

Yuffie didn't reply as they continued to walk down the hallway. Everyone arrived in the condo and was amazed how the locals tidied up the place. Yuffie instantly called dibs on an upstairs room. Barret took the basement. Even though autumn was approaching, the humidity in Costa del Sol was still kind of intense, and technically, it was still summer for another week. The basement suited Barret just fine as he realized that it was completely finished and there wasn't a laundry room.

"Where's the laundry room?" Barret asked as he came back upstairs.

"The locals told me on the phone when I booked this place that it's on the first floor." Yuffie stated as she came back from her bedroom.

Tifa went back to the Shera and got her remaining things off the ship and into the condo. As much as she would love to parade around the beach in her new swimming suit, she had to catch up on some much needed sleep. Barret was right behind her and went back to the basement and began to unpack his things. Yuffie packed so much stuff that it took her, Cloud, and Cid to bring all of her things off the Shera, not to mention that Yuffie picked a bedroom on the second floor. Tifa took the bedroom that had the only balcony on the second floor; it was right next to Yuffie's room. She began to unpack her things and wondered where her two missing friends were. She was sure at least Red was going to come, but maybe he decided to change his mind at the last minute.

"Ooh, here comes my surprise!" Yuffie squealed as she ran out the door. Everyone, including Tifa, walked out of the condo and followed Yuffie. She stopped in the middle of the road. There was a chocobo pulling a carriage along. It stopped as it was instructed to by the rider.

"Empress Yuffie." The rider said as he bowed to Yuffie, and Yuffie returned the same gesture.

The rider began taking bags away from the carriage.

"Aw, hell Yuffie, you brought some friends over!?" Cid screamed.

"Something like that." Yuffie happily replied.

"Well I hope they're not smokers cause no one is bumming some damn cigarettes out of-

Cid stopped in mid-sentence as Red and Vincent got off the carriage. Barret, Tifa, and Cloud were amazed to see the two of them, but most importantly, Vincent. The rider received a tip from Yuffie and rode away on the chocobo.

"Well, everyone knew Red was coming, but not Vincent. I managed to track him down. You mister, gave us quite a scare." Yuffie nudged Vincent in the ribs playfully, receiving a small smile from Vincent.

"It's so good to see you Vincent!" Tifa exclaimed. "How did Yuffie find you?"

"She has her ways."

Everyone laughed and helped Red and Vincent with their belongings. Red decided to take a bedroom on the first floor. There was only one room left on each floor.

"I would like to take an upstairs room if that's alright with you Cloud?" Vincent asked before making his way up the stairs. He noticed a hopeful look on Tifa's face that told him otherwise. He knew she wanted Cloud upstairs with her, but she wanted to be discreet.

"Uh….on second thought, maybe you should take the upstairs room."

"You go ahead and take it. I prefer the first floor bedroom anyways." Cloud replied as he went down the hallway towards his bedroom. Vincent glanced at Tifa.

"It's okay Vincent. At least you picked up my hint."

Vincent noticed the sadness in Tifa's voice. He didn't know what to do so all he said was that he was sorry. He went upstairs and unpacked his things. After spending ten minutes unpacking his clothes, he heard a light knock on the door, and told the person to come inside.

"Thank you for agreeing to this." Yuffie said as she sat on the bed.

"It was nothing."

Yuffie smiled at Vincent, and Vincent furrowed his brow a little. "Admit it, you're happy to see your friends after not having any contact with them whatsoever in the past year."

"It is good to see everyone." Vincent admitted. "Thanks for convincing me to come out here."

"No problem, well, it's not like you had a choice. I am an empress and you did have to follow my order."

Vincent glared at Yuffie, and she laughed at him. "Don't push it Yuffie."

Yuffie got up from the bed, yawning in the process. "I'm just pulling your tail Vincent. I may be older and mature, but my sense of humor never died."

With that said, she left Vincent's bedroom and went into her own room. She really wanted to catch up with everyone, but it was now ten in the morning and even though the locals were getting ready to hit the beach, AVALANCHE were in their rooms, in a deep, wonderful sleep.

**I hope I did okay with this being the first chapter and all. Refer to my profile page for the uploading situation. Until next time readers….**


	2. Breakfast with Old Friends

**Thanks for all the love and reviews guys. I really have high hopes for this story because I want this to be the best story I've created. Thanks to alesana4ever, Guest, Solly, and Shiki for the reviews.**

**Alesana4ever: I'm glad you're enjoying this.**

**Guest: Thanks for the compliment.**

**Solly: This is a Tifa and Vincent pairing. Vincent's relationship with Yuffie is stronger for several reasons that will be revealed as the story goes on.**

**Shiki: Yes I do remember but remember when the team fought Bahamut SIN in Advent Children? Barret touched Denzel's shoulder, and his hand changed into a machine gun. You can see it slightly in the camera angle that he does have a metal, prosthetic hand that acts as an actual hand, but it can change into a gun only at his command. I can only assume it act as an actual hand.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains character development. You have been warned. **

Everyone slept in until two in the afternoon. Tifa was the first person up; she was in her element: the kitchen. She prepared more than enough pancakes, bacon, muffins, eggs, and sausages for everyone. She heard rummaging in the basement. She assumed that it was Barret shuffling around. Moments after putting the prepared food in the oven so it could stay hot until everyone was up, Yuffie emerged into the kitchen with her chocobo pajamas on.

"Good morning, Tifa." Yuffie managed to say as she yawned.

Tifa giggled. "It's actually two in the afternoon."

Yuffie blinked twice at Tifa before turning her head aimlessly to look for a clock. When she finally found one, she just gasped. Tifa began washing the pots and pans that she used to cook the food with. Without having to ask, Yuffie grabbed a spare cloth and helped Tifa with the dishes.

"Thanks Yuffie."

"No problem. You're the one in charge of the cooking so the least we all can do is help with the dishes."

Tifa chuckled, knowing that more than likely she's going to be the one doing all of the cooking. Tifa began rinsing the suds off of the skillet she used to cook the eggs. "I haven't talked to you in a couple of weeks." Tifa said as she placed the suds-free skillet in the dish rack that was to her left. "What's been going on lately?"

Yuffie held up her hand and smiled. Tifa glanced at her finger and her eyes bulged. Both Yuffie and Tifa started squealing like little kids as they were jumping up and down. "When did this happen!?" Tifa asked.

"Two weeks ago. It caught me by surprise, it really did. At first, I was nervous so I didn't respond right away, but after a few moments, I finally built up the courage and said yes."

"So, I'm assuming there's no need to ask how things between you and Nolan are huh?"

Yuffie chuckled. "No, I guess not."

"I'm glad your dad didn't find someone for you. I'm glad you're in love, Yuffie. I really mean that."

Yuffie noticed that Tifa was really serious about her happiness. "Thanks. I'm glad I'm marrying someone I want to marry too."

"What the hell was all that racket a few seconds ago?" Barret growled as he walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge to find something cold to drink.

Tifa and Yuffie giggled and that made Barret roll his eyes. Women…..he will never understand them. A familiar stench filled the kitchen as Tifa, Yuffie, and Barret turned to see the source: Cid smoking a cigarette as usual.

"Do you really need to have a cigarette _this_ early in the morning?" Yuffie huffed.

"It's after two in the afternoon." Cid shot back.

Yuffie mentally kicked herself in the head for forgetting that easily. Cid took a couple of more puffs of his cigarette before putting it out in a nearby ashtray, and he sat down next to Barret, who managed to find some orange juice in the fridge. Yuffie joined them as she scanned the condo's interior closely. Since half the group was awoke, Tifa pulled out the food and placed it on the table. Cid got up and helped Tifa out by grabbing some forks and plates. Barret and Yuffie grabbed the refreshments and glasses.

"Hey Yuffie, do you think you could tell Red, Cloud, Shera, and Vincent to come down for breakfast?" Tifa asked as she sat the plate of eggs on the table.

"We're already here." Cloud spoke as he and Red came walking into the kitchen.

Tifa gave the two them a bright smile as Cloud sat next to Tifa. Red jumped into a seat next to Yuffie. Tifa always wondered how Red ate home cooked meals without hands; it was one of those random things that would always appear in her head every now and then whenever she looked at Red. The empty seat on the other side of Barret was still vacant. Shera told everyone good afternoon as she took a seat next to her husband. She gave him a small peck on the cheek before adjusting herself in the seat.

"Where's Vincent, Shera?" Cid asked his wife.

"I don't know. He must be in his room if he isn't down here. He's usually the one who's always up early." Shera kindly replied.

"He's had it rough these past couple of months." Yuffie chimed in. "He must be still resting."

There was silence as everyone began making their plates. Cloud was generous enough to make Tifa's plate. _At least he's generous and he cares about me. _Tifa thought as Cloud sat the plate in front of her. Shera made herself and Cid a plate and sat back in her seat when she was finished. Everyone dug into their food without saying a word to one another. After a couple of minutes into their meal, Barret asked, "Where's Cat Sith, Red?"

"He said he wanted to stay in Cosmo Canyon with the children. He really enjoys their company. He said once we get settled in he wanted us to give him a call through the hologram."

"How are Naomi and the cubs?" Barret asked again.

"They're doing great." Red replied happily.

"The _real _question is how did Yuffie managed to get Mr. Lonely out of the Shinra Mansion?" Cid interrupted.

"I convinced him." Yuffie giggled. "That man is as stubborn as a mad chocobo. Besides, I kind of black mailed him. I told him that if he didn't come out here, then he's not invited to my wedding."

Forks abruptly dropped on plates as a lot of eyes were now fixed on Yuffie.

"You mean to tell me you're engaged?" Cloud asked with a mouth full of food.

Yuffie happily nodded and everyone clapped and congratulated her, including Cid, which isn't like Cid at all. "I can't choose between Tifa and Shera to be my Maiden of Honor." Yuffie continued. "I know it's not traditional, but I want you two to become my Maiden of Honor.

Shera and Tifa squealed as they both hugged Yuffie. Cid rolled his eyes. "Gee, I wonder how much is coming out of my pocket."

**An hour later….**

Tifa finished cleaning the kitchen and grabbed the spare plate that she set aside for Vincent. She slowly walked up the stairs, trying not to spill anything on the floor. Once she was completely up the stairs, she walked until she reached Vincent's room, which was on the other side of her room, and knocked on the door softly. Moments later she swore she heard a small voice telling her to come in so she did. She saw Vincent still under the covers and the sunlight shined on his raven locks. Tifa smiled at him as he adjusted himself. She sat the plate of food on the small desk that was near his bed.

"Good afternoon sleepy head."

Vincent nodded and threw the covers off of him. He sat up completely and gave Tifa his full attention. "Thanks for the food but isn't it a little too late for breakfast?"

"Yeah it is but breakfast is actually better in the afternoon." Tifa replied smiling.

Vincent returned a small, subtle smile and grabbed the plate from the desk. Tifa looked away from Vincent, not knowing what to say to him to start a conversation. Everyone knew Vincent was a complicated man, and no one ever knew how to approach him, in fear they would hit a nerve, well, maybe Yuffie is an exception.

"It's good to see you again, Vincent." Tifa said, not knowing what else to say. "It's been a while. You look great." _He really did, _Tifa thought as she took a closer look at Vincent. He looked more buffed and as healthy as ever. Tifa glanced more at his hair, thinking that maybe it had grown an inch or two since the last time she had saw him. She also noticed that Vincent wasn't wearing his gold claw. _Maybe he's not as self-conscious as he was before._

"It's good to see you guys too. You can thank the bride-to-be." Vincent replied after swallowing a piece of bacon.

Tifa giggled. "I guess you're right." She got up and left Vincent's room. She didn't want to invade his privacy any further than she already did. She went back downstairs, in the living room area, and saw Cloud and Red looking at some brochures.

"I'm telling you Red, we've got to see this. It'll be great." Cloud said as he drew a red circle on the pamphlet.

Tifa glanced at the brochure and saw that Cloud circled some fireworks. She mentally jumped for joy. "When is that supposed to happen, Cloud?"

"This Saturday. It's taking place near the ocean so the humidity won't be a bad factor. Plus, it's at ten at night."

"I think everyone would enjoy that." Red added.

Cid and Shera came into the living room and joined the conversation. "So what are we gonna do today?" Shera asked. "I was thinking maybe going to the beach and have a couple drinks afterwards."

"I'm in." Cid commented.

"You're only in because you heard the phrase 'have a couple of drinks afterwards'." Red replied.

"That's not the point. The point is I'm agreeing with Shera." Cid retorted.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds like a plan."

"Good! I have a new bathing suit I've wanted to try on for the longest!" Shera replied in an excited voice.

Cid turned to her and frowned. "And when was this purchased?"

Shera gave Cid a quick kiss before bolting off to their room. Cid was yelling Shera's name as she ran. Red, Cloud, and Tifa laughed at him. Cid is the only one in AVALANCHE that's married so it's comical at times when he turns into a husband. Tifa left moments later and went upstairs to her room and changed into her bathing suit. As she was getting dressed, she heard Cloud talking to Yuffie, Vincent, and Barret about going to the beach. It sounded like they agreed to come because there were no complaints. She recently purchased a green two-piece bathing suit with stars on the private and breast area. It was purchased for her to look good in and to impress Cloud. She knew she had a body, and men gawked at her when she walked past them. _I know for a fact Cloud had to have looked at me in a sexual way at least once. Maybe this bathing suit will help us get closer. _Tifa tied both ends of the bottom piece of the bathing suit, looked in the mirror, and winked at her reflection.

She grabbed a towel and put her thong sandals on before walking out of her bedroom. Yuffie gave Tifa a thumb up as she saw Tifa come out her room. Tifa returned the gesture. The white and red polka dotted bathing suit suited Yuffie well. Both of the women walked downstairs and met Cloud, who was dressed in red swimming trunks, Barret, who was wearing orange swimming trunks, and Cid, who was wearing white trunks with a green stripe down the middle. For a man who's almost in his forties, Cid was still fit, despite the fact that he smoked cigarettes.

"Looking good there Uncle Cid." Yuffie complimented.

"Well you know I try keeping fit." Cid replied in a cocky, playful manner. Moments later, Red came into the living room holding a duffle bag full of bottled waters between his teeth. Tifa did notice Cloud glanced at her bathing suit for a couple of seconds before talking to Barret about the possible events at the beach.

Vincent's footsteps echoed through the condo as he walked down the stairs. "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Looking good sexy!" Tifa said playfully.

A light shade of red appeared on Vincent's face. He wore green trunks with a white tank top. Everyone knew Vincent was self-conscious about the scars on his chest so he preferred to cover them.

"Thanks for the introduction. I bought spare towels for everyone." Vincent replied and everyone thanked him.

Everyone was in the living room except Shera. Cid couldn't believe Shera went shopping yet again without telling him. "Man I tell ya, wives just automatically think it's cool to spend money without telling their husbands." Cid spoke out loud to everyone, and naturally, everyone chuckled.

"I bet ya the shit look ugly as hell. She better find some type of way to get _our _money back when-

All eyes were now on Shera as she walked into the living room with a black bathing suit on. It was black and it had a nice shine to it. It had queen playing card on both breasts and the top was strapless. She put Tifa and Yuffie to shame because she had on black wedges that wrapped around her ankles and calves. Cid awed, thinking to himself "_Is this my wife?" _

"So, uh…. What were you saying Cid?" Shera questioned.

All eyes were now on Cid. "I was saying how we need to hurry our asses out to the beach."

**Oh Cid….what am I going to do with you? I hope you all like this story so far. Until next time readers….**


	3. Chicken at the Beach

**Man, I can't thank you guys enough for the reviews. It means a lot to me. Thanks to alesana4ever for the review.**

**alesana4ever- Thanks for the kind words. I wish I could've updated a little earlier. I don't know if this counts for an interesting chapter so I'll let you decide. **

**WARNING: This chapter may be short. Also, character development is in here as usual. You have been warned.**

By the time everyone had gotten to the beach, the humidity level had dropped slightly so being outside wasn't as terrible as everyone thought it would be. Yuffie heard from the locals that it rains quite often in the fall time but it never thunderstorms, which is fine by Yuffie; she didn't too much care about thunderstorms. AVALANCHE and a couple of the locals were all at the beach playing in the water. Tifa and Red were playing with a freebie; Barret, Cid, and Cloud were fake wrestling; and Yuffie and Vincent were chasing each other. Shera was making sand castles while her feet were in the water.

After a couple of minutes of everyone being in pairs playing with one another, everyone meet each other in one spot in the water, including Shera.

"Hey guys, have you ever played a game called _Chicken_?" Yuffie asked.

Shera said she played it before and so did Tifa. Barret said he occasionally played it with Marlene. Red would play the childish game with his cubs all the time. Cloud, Cid, and Vincent, however, looked at each other. Shera, Yuffie, and Tifa thought it was time the three men learned how to play.

"Well ladies, looks like we got our three victims right here." Yuffie said, pointing to Vincent, Cid, and Cloud.

"What's the object of the game and how do you play?" Cloud asked nervously.

"It's simple." Yuffie answered. "You need a guy and a girl. The guy holds the girl on his back or around his shoulders while the girl tries to knock the other girl off of the opponent shoulders or back. Once you hit the water, game over."

"And that's it?" Cid asked.

Yuffie nodded. "So did you guys wanted to play?" Yuffie directed the question to Barret and Red.

They shook their heads no because they wanted to see how Cid would react to this game.

"Cloud, you want to be partners?" Tifa asked.

"I guess so." Cloud replied.

"Well, everyone should know Cid is my partner." Shera chimed in.

"Well, that leaves me and Vince as partners." Yuffie added.

Vincent frowned. "I didn't agree to play this game."

"Oh yes you did." Yuffie shot back. "You agreed when your ass was on the chocobo ride here."

"I agreed to have a vacation with friends, not have you on my back." Vincent corrected.

"That means joining in on all activities. Now c'mon! Get the stick out of your ass and play."

Vincent rolled his eyes, thinking to himself _what a stupid idea and game_. Shera, Yuffie, and Tifa climbed on their partner's back. In order for the game to be fair, two teams will play at a time. The first two teams that were up were Tifa and Cloud, and Shera and Cid. Yuffie counted them off and once she said 'GO!' the match began. Tifa is a special-trained martial arts master so it wasn't no surprised that Shera had trouble. Only seconds into the match, Shera fell off of Cid's back. Tifa received cheers and gave herself a round of applause. Cloud clapped too, forgetting that he had to hold Tifa at all times. She fell backwards and pummeled into the water. Everyone laughed at her, and when she emerged from the water, she splashed water into Cloud's face.

"You're supposed to hold me you jerk!"

"Sorry. I forgot." Cloud said in defense.

Since Tifa and Cloud won the previous match, they were going to go up against Yuffie and Vincent. Shera yelled 'GO!' and Cloud and Vincent began walking towards each other while Tifa and Yuffie prepared for a playful catfight. At first, it seemed as if Tifa was going to win, but Vincent had a tight grip on Yuffie so it was hard to knock her down. Two minutes into the match, Yuffie finally managed to knock Tifa down. Everyone congratulated Yuffie and Vincent on their victory.

"Hey, the two of you should compete in the _Chicken _competition." Red said as he noticed the sign where the lifeguards were sitting. "It seems first place winner gets a trophy."

"Oooooh! I want to join!" Tifa cheered. "But Cloud you suck when it comes to holding me so…" Tifa gazed over to Vincent. "Vincent, could you be my partner?"

Vincent let out a defeated sigh and nodded. Tifa cheered again as she grabbed Vincent's hand over to where the lifeguards were at to register. After the registration was over, all the participants were in the middle of the water, while everyone else were on the sand area, cheering for their friends and family. A _Chicken _contest goes by fast. Only ten minutes had passed before the final round was about to begin. AVALANCHE was happy to see that Tifa and Vincent had made it to the finals. Tifa and Vincent were going against a couple who looked very strong. Tifa noticed that the woman would be held by her lover on his back for tougher looking opponents.

"Do you think you can hold me on your back?"

Vincent nodded. Tifa wasn't a heavy woman so his back shouldn't ache at all. Tifa nodded happily as she began to climb on Vincent. When she managed to get her body into a great position, she then noticed something: her breasts were on top of Vincent's head. She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Uh….. are you sure you want to be in this position?" Vincent asked in an apparent embarrassed tone.

"Yes. I really want this trophy. I'll make it up to you, Vincent. I promise."

Hearing whistles and howls from the locals made Vincent even more embarrassed. He could've sworn someone yelled '_Hit it real hard tonight bro!'_ _I really got to make it up to him, _thought Tifa. When the crowd managed to calm down a little, the referee said 'GO!' and Tifa began strategizing on how she was going to knock her opponent down as Vincent slowly walked. When the opposing team was in arm reach, Tifa let the woman make the first move. Tifa managed to counter-attack but the woman recovered in a split second. The two women were in a tug of war as both of their partners had slight trouble keeping them on their backs.

Tifa felt herself slipping away from Vincent's back. The woman started to slip away from her lover's back as well. The man shifted his focus onto his girlfriend and helped her adjust. The woman struggled to fight Tifa off, and it was difficult for Tifa to fight the woman in full force because she was still slowly slipping off of Vincent's back. Tifa felt a hand on her ass as she felt her body slowly adjusting back to Vincent's back, and with one good push from Tifa, the woman fell into the water.

The crowd cheered Tifa cheered in victory. Vincent slowly let Tifa off and she darted towards the lifeguards to claim her trophy. After signing a couple of autographs and taking a few pictures here and there, Vincent and Tifa finally made it back to their comrades.

"Great job Tifa. I was screaming your name like crazy." Yuffie said cheerfully.

Tifa smiled as she held her trophy.

"Yeah! Thanks to Vincent touching that ass of yours, you've managed to win." Shera added.

Everyone laughed except for Vincent. "I'm sorry. It was a very inappropriate thing to do on my part." Vincent explained in a dark tone.

Everyone stopped laughing and looked at Vincent seriously. "Vincent, it's okay." Tifa said. "I'm not mad at you at all. I'm glad you did because I was able to win."

"It won't happen again." Vincent stated matter-of-factly and left the crowd in bewilderment.

"Wow, what a way to end a victory." Cid snorted. "Let's head back to the condo and get some drinks started. After that scene, I need a couple shots of Vodka."

Sadly, there weren't any alcoholic beverages in the condo so Cid and Barret left and went to a nearby store to buy some. Everyone took the spare time to take showers and dress into something more comfortable. Tifa exited her room and walked over to Vincent's door. She slightly twisted the knob, but to no avail, the knob wouldn't turn. Tifa sighed, wondering why Vincent would lock himself in his room. She wasn't mad at him at all about what happened. In fact, it didn't register what had happened to her until _after _she claimed her prize. She didn't want her night to be ruined so she dropped the subject from her head.

She walked down the stairs and went into the living room where Cloud, Yuffie, and Red sat on the floor with cushions under their bottoms. Tifa sat on the cushion next to Cloud and as soon as she did, Barret and Cid returned with the booze. They walked into the living room and sat the beverages on the table. Barret chipped in extra money to buy disposable, plastic red cups. The men bought both dark and light vodka. The two of them took a seat next to their friends and began passing around the vodka after they helped themselves to some.

After everyone had their cups filled with vodka, Barret raised his cup up in the air and so did everyone else. "This is to finally being together without fighting against a dumbass."

Everyone laughed as they pressed their cups against one another's. Red simply nodded instead and slid his tongue into his drink. "I just realized something." Cid said. "Yuffie, you're not of age to drink."

"I'm twenty; it's close enough dammit." Yuffie snapped before taking a sip of her drink.

"Alright, whatever you say. Don't get pissy drunk on us cause I'm not taking care of your ass."

Yuffie rolled her eyes and continued her drink. Everyone had at least one cup of vodka and now they were on their second cup. Yuffie was telling everyone the colors and schemes she was thinking about using in her wedding.

"Nolan is coming this Saturday to visit me too. Also, the wedding is in five months so you guys have plenty of time to prepare."

Everyone nodded and continued their drinks. It seemed as if Barret and Cid were having a private drinking contest; both of the men were on their four cup. Shera kindly took the red cup away from Cid grasp, as she realize that her husband had one too many drinks.

"Ahhhhh Sheera! What'cha….what'cha do that fo?" Cid asked in a slur. He felt his head spin as Shera began to drag him on the floor. "We still do hanky….fucking tonight?"

Yuffie and Tifa roared in laughter as a bright red color appeared on Shera's face. Yuffie left the living room to be with Shera so they could get Cid into their bedroom without too many complications. Tifa glanced at Red, who was laying on his right side, out as a light. Barret was knocked out on his back, emitting a loud snore every time he inhaled. Cloud slowly began to rub his head, finally feeling the vodka getting to him.

"Are you okay?" Tifa asked.

"I'm a little tipsy, but I'm not passed out like Barret, Cid, and Red." Cloud replied in a slight slur.

Tifa giggled, "I didn't think Red could get drunk." Cloud nodded in agreement as he grabbed the table to use as a balance. Tifa, only having two drinks, got up and helped Cloud. He thanked her and they began walking towards his room. They slowly walked through the kitchen and proceeded to walk down the hall. As they were passing by, Tifa took a quick glance inside Shera and Cid's room; Yuffie was helping Shera tuck Cid in bed. Tifa and Cloud finally made it to Cloud's room. Tifa opened the door and walked Cloud over to his bed. He slowly sat down on the bed. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Tomorrow we should probably call Tseng and Shelke and check on Denzel."

Cloud nodded. He noticed Tifa didn't make any motion to leave his room. He knew he was tipsy, but he wasn't drunk to the point he was seeing things….was he? "Tifa?" Cloud called out.

"Hm?"

"Why are you still standing here?"

Tifa twirled her fingers as she nervously shuffled her feet. "Well, now that we finally have some alone time, I wanted to ask you something."

When Cloud didn't reply, Tifa continued. "Well I was wondering maybe we could go out and…just go out." She changed her mind at the last minute. She wanted to use the word 'date' but was afraid it would displease Cloud. She felt bad for slightly taking advantage Cloud in his current state-of-mind but she figured that it was now or never.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. Maybe we can get some food."

Tifa nodded and walked out the door. _Well, I asked HIM out, but….I am not pleased with his answer. Why is that? Is it because he has a slight buzz and just wanted to get rid of me? Does he even want to go out with me? Did he even comprehend what I asked him?_ Tifa's thought consisted nothing but constant questions.

"Hey Tifa, wanna join me and Shera for a small girl talk before going to bed?" Yuffie asked, pulling Tifa out of her thoughts.

"Sure, why not. It's probably time for one anyways."

**Well, there you have it guys. I really want to put a lot of effort into this story so I'm taking my time with it. Until next time readers….**


	4. Unexpected News

**Thank you guys so much for all the love and support. It really means a lot to me. Thanks to Guest for the review.**

**Guest: Vincent will be fine. He's going to start to relax some soon enough ^_^**

**WARNING: This chapter contains character development, slightly longer chapter, and Cid's foul mouth. You have been warned.**

A girl's talk with Shera and Yuffie will definitely get her mind off of Cloud. Tifa sat on the edge of Yuffie's bed along with Yuffie sitting on the upper right side and Shera sitting on the upper left side. Yuffie slid her engagement ring off her finger and placed it on the nightstand.

"I can't believe Yuffie is the next person in this group to get married." Shera said as she stared at the ring in amazement after Yuffie placed the ring on the desk.

"I'm not the ear-splitting teen you guys once knew." Yuffie replied happily. "I'm all grown up now."

"You sure are." Tifa agreed. "How's Godo _really _taking the announcement of your marriage?"

Yuffie sighed. "I'm gonna need another cup of Vodka to explain the situation."

Tifa took that as a 'please go get the Vodka' so she did, and moments later, Tifa came back in the room with a cup of Vodka in one hand and the rest that was in the bottle in the other hand.

"Okay, here's the situation." Yuffie started as she accepted the plastic cup from Tifa. "Now, partially is my fault because I haven't told my father what exactly Nolan does. See, my dad was under the impression that Nolan was an emperor."

"Oh I see." Shera said. "Your dad wants you to marry royalty, something that Nolan is not."

Yuffie nodded and took a sip of the Vodka. "You are so right. Nolan is a great guy and owns his own business. He's not wealthy and he isn't royalty, but none of that matters because I love him for him."

Tifa nodded in agreement. "I'm so happy for you Yuffie, but what are you going to do if Godo opposes?"

Yuffie shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of her Vodka. "Nothing. He's just going to have to suck it up. Nolan and I are getting married and that's all there is to it."

Shera and Tifa couldn't deter Yuffie from her goal. Once the young empress was set on something, she wasn't going to rest until she got what she wanted. Shera and Tifa took a few shots here and there from the Vodka bottle. By the third shot, both of the women felt a relaxed-like wave come over their bodies.

"How do you deal with Cid?" Tifa asked Shera. "He's a little obnoxious."

Shera laughed. "That he is I will admit, but the team doesn't see the Cid I see when we are alone. Cid is great man, even though he's an asshole. His smile, humor, and charm is what attracted me the most to Cid, but what really blew my mind is his performance in-

"Whoa!" Tifa and Yuffie shouted in unison.

Shera laughed harder as Tifa snatched the Vodka bottle from Shera and took another shot. Yuffie shook her head as she took a big gulp of her Vodka from her red cup.

"That was a little bit too much information, Shera." Yuffie said.

"Sorry." Shera said while giggling.

"I have to ask, after three years of marriage, how do you keep the spark alive?" Tifa asked.

Shera took a shot of the Vodka before responding. "It's not as hard as people make it out to be. You just do things that interest your spouse but it has to be something on rare occasion, not often. Also, sex is a major role in any marriage, and I mean any. Never be afraid to explore in the bedroom."

"So that silhouette picture of your on the _Shera _is one of the things you did for Cid but it was slightly out of 'bedroom context'?" Yuffie asked.

Shera nodded. "Don't let my manners fool you. I'm a total different woman in privacy and Cid is a different man. I'm a lady and I carry myself like one. In privacy, however, well, I don't think you two aren't stupid."

The three women giggle as they each took a sip of Vodka. "So, what's the situation on you and Cloud?" Shera asked Tifa.

Tifa shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing. We're just friends and parents. We have Denzel to raise, though, it seems like I'm the one who's raising Denzel."

There was a long silence. Tifa was going to take another shot of Vodka but decided against it. She felt her head throbbing already.

"Do you _love _him?" Yuffie finally asked.

Tifa thought about it. "I….don't know. I mean, when he _does _decides to stay home, of course I'm happy to see him, but I don't get the butterflies like I used to when I was a kid. I don't crave his touch like I used to when we were younger. I would like to see what it'll be like if we were a couple so that way we can at least be a real family."

Neither Shera nor Yuffie knew what to say. They knew their friend had deep feelings for Cloud but it appears to them things aren't going well between the two of them.

"Do you often resent Aeris for coming into the party?" Shera asked.

"No, I never resented Aeris and I never will. It's just that it sucks when you want to experience something with someone, but you can because of the consequences. I don't want to throw away years of friendship with Cloud over nonsense."

"Sometimes I feel like I should pursue the relationship, other times I don't" Tifa continued.

"Did you guys have a date?" Shera asked.

"Tomorrow night will be our first night out on a date."

"Well that's a start." Yuffie responded in a hopeful voice.

"True but you can't wait for him forever." Shera responded. "I would just see where his mindset is at about the relationship. You never know, he may have some pinned up emotions about you, but he doesn't know how to say it. It could be good or bad."

Tifa nodded. "You have a point. I'm not getting my hopes up. I just want to see if there is a possibility, and if not, oh well. We can still maintain our friendship the way it is."

Yuffie glanced at the clock and noticed it was now 11:00. She informed Shera and Tifa and they both left Yuffie's bedroom and went to their respectable rooms.

**The next day….**

Cloud got up from his bed with his hand on his head. He was suffering from a slight hangover. He went into the medicine cabinet and grabbed some pain killers and swallowed them dry. He went back into his room and glanced at the clock. It was now three in the afternoon and he noticed that he didn't smell anything in the kitchen, which meant Tifa, has already cooked or she was still asleep. He walked slowly out of his room and headed towards the kitchen. He saw none of his comrades or no food set aside. Not seeing a home-cooked meal by Tifa was slightly disappointing to Cloud. He went to the refrigerator and grabbed the spread. He grabbed the loaf of bread that was sitting on top of the microwave. He took four slices out of the plastic package and placed them in the toaster. After he wrapped the bread securely in the plastic wrap, he pushed the knob down so the metal warmers could cook his toast. He began rummaging through the cabinets, hoping he would run into some coffee.

He was pleased when he saw some coffee in a red bowl. He went over to the coffee maker after grabbing a spoon and read the instructions. He followed them precisely and turned on the coffee maker. It wasn't the best breakfast in the world but it would at least put something in his system. He wasn't keen on functioning on pain killers without having something in his stomach to digest. He went to the toaster to check on his toast, and decided to wait a few moments before taking it out. Until the coffee and toast were ready, Cloud decided to pull out his PHS and call Tseng and Shelke to check on Denzel. He wished he could be there more frequently in Denzel's life, but he couldn't. Work always got in the way, and he needed to work in order for Denzel to have what he needed.

Cloud wasn't surprised that he didn't receive an answer from Tseng. Tseng was the type of person that had to be in the mood in order for him to answer a call. Cloud rumbled through his PHS until he saw Shelke's number. He dialed it and after the second ring, Shelke answered the PHS in her usual monotone, expressionless voice.

"This is Shelke."

"Good afternoon Shelke. This is Cloud."

"Cloud Strife. How was your trip to Costa del Sol?"

No one, not even Yuffie, could stop Shelke from addressing them by first and last names. Everyone, including Vincent on the occasion, tried to convince Shelke that it was okay to address them by their first names only, but the robotic girl insisted on calling them by first and last. There were rare moments where Shelke only would address them by first only but rarely.

"It was a safe trip. I'm calling to check on Denzel."

"Denzel is taking a brief break from his mathematics. Did you still wish to speak with him?"

"Yes."

"Understood."

Cloud heard Shelke walking through the bar/home. He smelled a bad odor in the kitchen and he immediately snapped his head in the direction where the toaster was at. He hurriedly pushed the knob upwards and out came charcoal. Cloud swore under his breath as he sat the pitiful-looking bread on a plate to cool off before placing four more slices in the toaster. This time, he sat the toast to come out in two minutes. Moments later he heard Denzel's ten year-old voice in the receiver.

"Hi Cloud."

"Hi Denzel. How's everything going?"

"Everything is fine. Tseng and Shelke said they were going to take us to the carnival if Marlene and I finish up our school assignments today." He sounded really excited.

"That's great. Be sure to win something for Tifa." Cloud knew Tifa loved stuffed animals.

"I sure will."

Cloud heard Tseng telling Denzel that his break was over and it was time for him to resume his work.

"I gotta go. Please tell Tifa I want to talk to her later on." Denzel replied in a rushed voice.

Cloud nodded. "Will do."

Cloud closed his PHS and placed it on the counter. He thought about Denzel and Marlene having fun on the rides while Shelke and Tseng were watching from afar. He smirked a little at the thought of Shelke joining in on the rides with Marlene and Denzel. The robotic girl was girl with a body like a twelve year-old, but her mindset was like a person in their twenties. The toast flicked out of the toaster and brought Cloud back to reality. He walked over to the toaster and grabbed the bread. He grabbed a plate and placed it on the plate. He began spreading some butter on the toast, and after he was done, he placed the butter back in the refrigerator. He grabbed the coffee pot and poured some into a mug that he had gotten from one of the cabinets. He placed the glass pot back in its respectful place, grabbed his plate of toast, and carried the items over to the counter. He grabbed two lumps of sugar that were in a porcelain teapot and some creamer that was in another teapot.

He began eating his toast as he drank his coffee at the same time. He felt himself being relived from the awful hangover that he recently had. He knew it wasn't going to take much to get rid of it. He heard someone coming from upstairs, but Cloud didn't bother to see who it was; he continued to eating his bread.

Vincent came into the kitchen and noticed Cloud sitting at the counter. He glanced at the burned toast and furrowed his brows. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed the ginger ale that was inside the door compartment. He grabbed a cup that was in the cabinet and poured the liquid into the cup and placed the ginger ale back in the refrigerator. He placed the cup in the microwave and set it for 45 seconds. After those brief seconds, Vincent grabbed the cup, closed the microwave, and sat across from Cloud at the kitchen counter.

"Vincent." Cloud acknowledged.

"Cloud." Vincent did the same in return.

Vincent placed a peppermint from the candy dish and placed it in his warm ginger ale; he waited for it to completely dissolve before taking a gulp of it.

"Someone is relieving themselves of a hangover?" Cloud asked.

"Yes. Someone wasn't paying attention to the toast." Vincent shot back.

Cloud chuckled. "I'm the culprit. I miss Tifa's cooking already."

Vincent smirked a little as he thought about how this is the first time Tifa hasn't cooked whenever he visited or seen her; she would always have something for someone to eat, and if she hasn't cooked at the time, she would stop whatever she's doing and tend to her visitor. Silence spread through the kitchen as Cloud and Vincent enjoyed their mediocre breakfast. That silence was short lived when Cid and Yuffie came into the kitchen; that made Vincent and Cloud sigh heavily.

"Listen here Cid; don't get mad at me because things didn't go your way last night!" Yuffie huffed as she cut in front of Cid to get to the refrigerator.

"No one is mad about anything!" Cid shot back.

"I can't tell! You totally blew me off when I wished you a good afternoon!"

"I'm recovering from a hangover; a hangover that will never go away if you don't shut your ass up!"

"If you both don't stop your bitching, I'm putting a bullet through both of your foreheads." Vincent growled.

Yuffie and Cid glared at each other after dropping the subject. Cloud nodded towards Vincent as a way to say thank you; Vincent returned the gesture. Yuffie huffed as she went to the refrigerator and grabbed some orange juice while Cid prepared himself some coffee. When he placed the glass pot back in its place, he noticed the burned toast that was sitting on a plate.

"Who the hell burned the damn toast?!"

Cloud's chuckle instantly gave him away. "Now I know why you stay with Tifa, your cooking skills suck ass." Cid said as he joined Vincent, Cloud, and Yuffie.

"Thanks for the complement." Cloud said as he took another bite of his toast.

The kitchen grew silent again as the few people that formed AVALNCHE continued to tending their hangover. Yuffie managed to get hold of the comic section of the newspaper; Cid held his head as he slowly slurped his coffee; Vincent and Cloud had a distant look in their eyes as each of them remained silent as their mind drifted to another realm. Moments later, Tifa entered the kitchen and giggled at the pitiful sight her comrades were in.

"I think it's time for me to cook something." Tifa said, shaking her head at the sight of the pitiful-looking bread.

Cid and Yuffie agreed in unison, and Tifa told everyone to clear away from the kitchen so she could have some room to maneuver around the kitchen.

"I wanted to speak to you about something later on." Cloud whispered so only Tifa could hear him after getting up from his seat.

She nodded and Cloud trotted away. She doubted seriously that they were going to leave for an outing today; both of them were recovering from hangovers. Vincent made himself another pot of coffee before walking towards the stairs to go to his room.

"Hey Vincent," Tifa called out, which made Vincent turn around. "You look like you're recovering from the willies, but you didn't drink with everyone last night." She did wonder how Vincent managed to drink an alcoholic beverage if he didn't have access to it.

"Correct." Vincent stated flatly as he took another sip of his coffee.

She frowned in confusion until she read between the lines of Vincent's one-word statement and smiled. Vincent, feeling Tifa got the hint, turned and went upstairs.

**Later that day….**

No one ate any food, but Yuffie was in the mood for pizza by evening so everyone chipped in with the bill and munched on that for the remainder of the evening. Everyone stayed to their selves in hopes of feeling better the next day. Cloud mustered enough energy to go visit Tifa in her bedroom before going to sleep for the night. He lightly knocked on her door and she told him and come inside. He sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Tifa asked. "If it's about our outing then I completely understand. I barely had the strength to make everyone a small meal."

Cloud shook his head. "No, that's not it." Cloud didn't know how to say the words that needed to leave his lips. He valued Tifa's friendship dearly, and he really didn't want to cause a hazardous bond between them. He was aware of the fondness Tifa has developed towards him over the years, and he even developed the same emotion, but he didn't know how immersed her feelings were for him. "It's just that um….Saturday I wanted to invite someone to join us at the fireworks."

Tifa gave the blond a perturbed expression. "I'm sure everyone will accept whoever you bring with us. As long as he isn't a smoker, I'm certain Cid won't have a problem." Tifa giggled, but Cloud didn't join her. "That's the thing Tifa…." He hung his head low. He felt dreadful for somewhat leading Tifa on.

"Oh…." Tifa sadly said. "He's not a 'he' is he?" When Cloud didn't respond, Tifa sighed heavily. "Is this the reason why you haven't been returning to me- I mean Denzel for long periods of time?"

"I didn't mean to abandon the two you." Cloud quickly said in defense. "I just didn't know how to tell you. I mean, we both worked hard to finally relish on life a little. We work well with Denzel, and well…." Cloud paused for a moment to scratch his head and look up at Tifa. "I didn't want to be the reason why the joy was taken away."

Tifa sighed again and a light smile crept on her face. "If she's what you want then who am I to block your relationship? I would've appreciated it more if you would've told Denzel something, or at least me. Is she comfortable with you living in the bar?"

Cloud hesitated before shaking his head. "Not really. I've mentioned you and Denzel to her so she's aware you guys exist, which is another reason why she's so adamant about coming here. She wants to meet you."

"What's her name?" To Tifa, it was rude to speak about this woman and address her as 'she' instead of her actual name.

"Her name is Rebecca." Cloud replied as he casted his cerulean eyes away from Tifa's almond eyes. Tifa slightly chuckled and lightly swiped his back. "It is okay, Cloud. Thanks for finally telling me."

Cloud nodded and wished Tifa a good evening before shutting the door. Tifa laid her body comfortably on the mattress before firmly sealing her eyes to impede the tears that threatened her cheeks.

**Until next time readers….**


	5. Wishes & Wutainese

**I'm back with another chapter. Thanks to for the reviews. As usual, they mean a lot to me.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains be made-up version of the Wutainese language. You have been warned.**

**Three days later….**

It was now Saturday and everyone couldn't wait to see the fireworks. Nolan and Rebecca are supposed to come an hour before the show actually starts so AVALANCHE took the opportunity to do some house work. Tifa was in her zone: the kitchen. Barret cleaned his area and was the first person to do their personal laundry. Cid, Shera, and Yuffie were tidying the backyard. Orange leaves began to make their presence on the lawn. Vincent was in the living room with Red, and Cloud was cleaning the bathroom and dining room. Tifa couldn't believe how much everyone had slacked off with the condo. After all the cleaning was done, everyone went into their rooms to relax a little. It was now 8:00 and the fireworks don't start until 10:00.

Yuffie was in her bed twirling her engagement ring around her slender finger as Nolan went through her mind. She was more than happy with Nolan; she was ecstatic. She glanced at her room door, which was now being opened by someone whom she didn't invite in her bedroom. Her confusion dissolved as she saw a golden brown-haired man stand in the doorway.

"Nolan!" Yuffie screamed as she hopped out of the bed and jumped into Nolan arms. "I wasn't expecting you for another hour."

"I know." Nolan replied with a smile. "I thought I should pay you an early visit. Tifa told me where your room was at."

"I'm so happy to see you." Yuffie said, dragging Nolan by his arm and over to her queen-sized bed. She adjusted her body comfortably on the bed and faced Nolan. "How was your trip here?"

"It was good. Chekhov was kind enough to send me with a gold chocobo. Boy, the gold ones can move! I had to tell the tamer to make the chocobo slow down."

Yuffie giggled. "Red told me the same thing a few hours after his arrival. Did my father say anything to you?"

Nolan sighed a little. "The usual."

Yuffie sighed harder. She didn't understand why her father was opposed to her marriage with Nolan. From Yuffie's perspective, Nolan was a perfect choice. Sure, he has flaws but he loved her and she loved him. Not once did Nolan make her feel like a useless Empress like the bachelors did that Godo recommended. Godo wanted Yuffie to marry a prince, someone with royal blood, and that was fine with Yuffie; however, Yuffie wasn't in love with a prince; she was in love with a common merchant that worked hard for every dime he have earned. Nolan does everything for Yuffie; money didn't matter to her.

"If only my mother was alive…." Yuffie finally said.

"I wish I could have met your mother. From what you have told me about her, she seemed like an excellent woman and leader."

Yuffie nodded. "She was. I know it's hard for you to do this but don't worry about my father. He's the only one who doesn't approve of our relationship."

Nolan sighed as he tore his eyes away from Yuffie. "I hate it that you're defying your father, and you're only doing it because of me."

Yuffie wrapped her arms around Nolan's waist and nuzzled her face between his face and shoulder. "That may be true, but there's no law stating who I can and can't marry. The people of Wutai are happy for us, along with my best friends, and Chekhov. The hell with what one person thinks, even if that person has had something to do with my existence."

Nolan tenderly kissed Yuffie's hand as the young couple sat in the bed saying no words to each other.

**In the kitchen….**

Tifa was now sitting at the counter with her personal copy of _Monumental Attachment _clutched inside her hands. It was a book that had touched her heart dearly. Dante, a prince who had lost his father at a very young age, struggles with his new duties as king. Mulan, his childhood friend, guides him through the struggles and eventually she became his mate and ultimately his queen. Tifa wished she could get her hands on the sequel, but there were two problems with that: One, the sequel is a very rare copy. Two, from what she's had heard, it is written in Wutainese. She knew Yuffie didn't have the patience to teach her Wutainese let alone read it to her. The first book in the trilogy she has come to adore will have to do until both of the scenarios are fulfilled.

Tifa tore her eyes away from her book to be aware of her surroundings. She heard someone come down the stairs, and she returned her eyes to the book when she saw Vincent appear in the kitchen. Vincent poured himself glass of water, and shot a glance at Tifa when he was done.

"The prodigious bond between Dante and Mulan always amazes me."

Tifa glanced at Vincent and frowned. "You know _Monumental Attachment_? I didn't think you were the type of guy to read a love story."

"I didn't either." Vincent agreed as he sat down in a seat that was across from Tifa. "But one day, the local bookstore had a low supply of books, and the title stuck out."

Tifa smiled and sat the book downward, not losing her page, and gave Vincent her full attention. "This is an amazing story. I wish I had the second book to this story. I can only imagine what they're relationship is like."

"_Dante's Pride _was a great sequel. Their daughter turns animosity into love."

Tifa's eyes widened. "You have the sequel!? You know how to speak Wutainese?"

"Yes to both questions." Vincent replied. "My father was Wutainese."

"Oh Vincent!" Tifa practically screamed as she hopped out of her chair and knelled on her knees beside Vincent. "Vincent, please teach me Wutainese. I would have burdened Yuffie, but Yuffie is well…..Yuffie. I promise I'll be a good student."

Tifa heard a funny sound erupt from Vincent. Did he just hold back a snort? "Wutainese is better taught when one is hearing the language. How about I read it to you and you pay attention to the letters?"

Tifa got off her knees and embraced Vincent into a tight hug. "Thank you so much Vincent! I got two things to make for."

Her muffled voice pierced Cloud's ears as he walked by. He noticed the pair closer to each than usual. Glancing up, Tifa tore her body away from Vincent and regain her composure. Vincent didn't need to turn around to see who was behind the two of them. Cloud shrugged his shoulders and opened the front door and left the condo.

"Will you be uncomfortable around Rebecca?" Vincent asked, noting Tifa's awkward behavior moments ago.

"I think the word 'awkward' would be more appropriate. I mean, the only thing that hurts me about the situation is that Cloud and I will never have that chance to see if we could've been 'we'."

Vincent nodded. He understood where Tifa was coming from. "Again, I apologize for my actions a couple of days ago at the beach."

Tifa waved her hand. "For the umpteenth time Vincent, it's okay. My fists would've collided with your mouth if I had a problem with it."

**An hour later….**

It was now 9:45 and AVALANCHE was ending a call with Tseng and Shelke. Everyone was now waiting on Cloud. He left earlier to meet Rebecca at the chocobo station and from there he promised he would find a good spot for them to see the fireworks. Conversations came to an abrupt halt when Cloud emerged from the front door with a brunette behind him. She smiled at the group as everyone waved at her.

"Everyone, this is Rebecca." Cloud announced.

Everyone, including Tifa, gave Rebecca a warm welcome. Since it was almost time for the fireworks to start, no one had enough time to have a conversation with Rebecca. Everyone unpacked their personals such as pillows and blankets and began making themselves comfortable. Nolan and Yuffie held each other as they anxiously gazed at the sky, not wanting to miss not one firework. Cid secretly didn't want to cuddle with Shera, but did nonetheless to please her. Cloud and Rebecca were under a blanket but they didn't hold each other or cuddle lovingly like Shera and Cid were. Red morphed his body into a small ball and was next to Vincent, who didn't have a companion. Barret told the groups that he wanted get a view from the grass below; Cloud found a spot that was on a hill. It was a nice view and not too many people were there. Tifa saw all of her friends paired with one another. Sighing, and feeling like she had no one, she sat a short distance away from everyone and propped her back on a rock. She threw the blanket over her body.

Red saw Tifa sulk a little and walked towards her. Without saying a word, he simply got comfortable and rested his head in Tifa's lap. Tifa thanked him with a bright smile and she ruffled his hair a little just as a firework burst into the sky. The area was filled with 'ooohs' and 'awws' as the show progressed. Tifa couldn't wait to see the grand finale; it was always the best part. Several red fireworks shot into the sky, creating flowers and heart after the explosion.

Another firework exploded and Cloud's name appeared after the explosion. There were several rounds of applause. The locals manipulated the explosives to read each AVALANCHE member's name. Next was Barret, 'The Man with Brute' followed by Yuffie, which said 'The Empress of Wutai' shortly after, then Cid, which said 'The Foul-Mouthed Pilot' shortly after. Everyone laughed at the message, knowing how true that statement was. Next was Red, 'The Four-Legged Feline' then Tifa, 'The Queen of Martial Arts'. Tifa blushed at that and the applause didn't help either. Aeris, 'The Master of Healing' flashed and everyone gave a louder applause in remembrance of Aeris. Cat Sith, 'The Talking Cat' and Vincent, 'The Mysterious, Sexy, Gunslinger' Women went on a rampage when they saw Vincent's message. Tifa noticed Vincent practically hid his entire face from everyone. A woman definitely created the last message.

After Vincent's message dissolved completely, a woman announcer informed everyone that a shooting star was coming and prepare to make a wish. Tifa quickly clasped her hands together and waited for the shooting star. A small light zipped by and everyone began making their wishes.

"_I wish for a successful marriage."_

"_I wish Godo will let Nolan love me."_

"_I wish my friends would stay together until the end."_

"_I wish Marlene had a mom."_

"_I wish I could conceive."_

"_I wish I wasn't such a brute."_

"_I wish Cloud and I have a life full of prosperity."_

"_I wish I could give my heart to someone who is willing to give me theirs in return."_

"_I wish I didn't cause so much harm and hurt."_

"_I wish I could forgive the man that has made me what- no, who I am today."_

The wishes were made and it was time to head back to the condo.

**Back at the condo….**

After everyone settled back into the condo, they gathered into the living room and conversed with Rebecca. To Rebecca's surprise, she was warmly welcomed into the group. She noticed that Shera and Yuffie had a knack for jewelry and spent 20 minutes talking about the subject. Cloud was happy that everyone welcomed Rebecca, including Tifa. He shouldn't be surprised by Tifa's actions. She always welcomed everyone with a bright smile; however, he couldn't help but notice the slight tension between the two women. It was understandable. Cloud had been in a relationship with Rebecca for a few weeks now, and it must've hurt Rebecca to know that he was living with his childhood friend who was a woman- an attractive woman one might add.

"So, how did you get into martial arts?" Rebecca asked Tifa.

"I always had a thing for martial arts so my sensei, Zhang, taught me everything I know."

"I'm sure he's happy with your skill."

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. He's probably smiling down at me from the Lifestream. He was a very intellectual man whom I will never forget."

Rebecca nodded and continued to converse with Tifa. After everyone mingled with each other for about an hour, everyone decided to turn in.

"Hey." Cid started as he helped Shera get up from the couch. "How about some scrimmage matches against one another tomorrow on the _Shera_? We haven't done that in a while."

"We haven't done that at all." Red corrected. "We didn't have time to train against each other."

"Sounds like fun!" Yuffie replied happily. "I can show Nolan what I'm made of!"

Yuffie jumped on the couch and started punching the air, receiving chuckles from her friends.

"It's settled then." Cid continued. "How about tomorrow evening? I need to head back to Rocket Town and grab Venus Gospel. Does anyone need me to stop by their homes?"

"I do." Cloud spoke up. "I have some things that need to be taken care of at 7th Heaven."

Cid, knowing what Cloud really meant simply nodded. "We'll leave at dawn so rest up."

Everyone yawned, stretched, and made their way up to their rooms. Tifa was putting her long raven locks into a ponytail when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." Tifa commanded as she loosened her hair from the hair holder. Cloud came in shortly after. Tifa turned when she was done tending to her hair and gave Cloud a small smile.

"Are you coming with me?" Cloud asked.

Tifa shook her head. "I think I'm going to pass." Tifa turned and dug into her bag and rose up when she found what she was looking for. She handed the keys over to Cloud.

"Thanks." Cloud said.

Tifa nodded. Silence. The two of them stood there, waiting for the other to make a move. When Tifa concluded that Cloud wasn't going to move, she finally spoke up. "Cloud, do you plan on leaving any time soon?"

Cloud tore his eyes away Tifa and quickly exited the room with Tifa behind him. She began walking towards the stairs, but Cloud stood in the same position. He heard a door open and saw Vincent come from his room.

"Did you want to read the first chapter?" Vincent asked Tifa.

She turned and saw her mysterious friend standing in his usual posture at the entrance of his door. She didn't expect Vincent to start his lessons so soon, but if he was willing, she was ready to learn. Ignoring the desperate need to have some water go through her esophagus and into her stomach, Tifa happily followed Vincent into his room, not noticing Cloud was still in the same spot. When Vincent closed his door, Cloud couldn't help it but to feel jealous. Why did it bother him so much? Quickly removing the question from his mind, he went downstairs to join Rebecca in his room.

**Vincent's room….**

Tifa waited for Vincent to get comfortable in his bed before making any movements. She didn't know how much Vincent has changed in the past year, and she didn't want to upset him.

"You're going to have to sit in order to learn the language." Vincent stated, noticing that Tifa didn't move.

"I know, but I don't want to evade your personal space." Tifa blurted out quickly as she sat next to Vincent. Not looking at his eyes, Tifa said: "Sorry. Your behavior is a little awkward."

Vincent got up and went into his closet to get the book, not knowing how to respond to Tifa's statement. He returned to the bed with the book in his hands. Tifa was surprised by its size. She didn't expect it to be the size of a cookbook. The cover had Dante and Mulan with a girl with green hair. Recalling what Vincent had said earlier this morning, Tifa concluded that the girl was their daughter. Tifa clapped her hands happily as Vincent opened the book to the first chapter.

"The first chapter isn't that long. All it is really is a recap of the last events of the first book." Vincent placed his index finger on the first foreign word. Tifa stared tentatively at the word. "Wutainese is not hard. It's a very easy language to learn. This word, lvoe, means 'love'. The alphabet is a little fancier but if you dedicate yourself to the words, you'll learn Wutainese in no time."

Tifa nodded. "Okay, how about we study chapter one until I feel comfortable enough to continue the story?"

Vincent concurred. "Okay, let's begin." Vincent let Tifa adjust her body more comfortably and Vincent began reading the first sentence. "Lvoe, an etiomn taht was ocne nveer flet by the ynuog knig." Vincent faced Tifa. "That means 'Love, an emotion that was once never felt by the young king.'

Tifa nodded and as the night went by, Vincent's voice rung in her ears as he read the first chapter to her. As Vincent said, the first chapter was an emotional recap of the last events of the first book. As Vincent read, his index finger ran under the words so Tifa would know what it was as he said them out loud. Tifa stopped Vincent and looked up at his confused face.

"May I read the last few sentences?"

Vincent placed the book in Tifa's lap and she studied the words quickly before looking up to Vincent, who was waiting for her to speak. Tifa placed her index finger on the next word and proceeded.

"Poelpe of tihs nation, I psernt Pirnscess Lyra. She will be the ftuure of all of us. Lyra's hiar sihend btighlry as the ray rftlecteed the slmal set of tteeth."

Tifa glanced at her teacher, and was happy to find out that she pronounced everything correctly. "You're a fast learner." Vincent noted. "You're pronunciation could use a little work but that won't be a problem."

She thanked him as she got up from the bed. When she tried to give the book to Vincent, he shook his head. "Are you assigning me homework?" Tifa laughed. "I think you're taking this teaching thing a little too literal."

"Don't go past the first chapter. We can continue tomorrow or Monday if you are too weary from the scrimmages."

Tifa thanked Vincent again and began walking towards the door. "Am I'm that cruel?" Vincent asked as Tifa was about to turn the knob.

She turned back to him and immediately noticed that his expression didn't indicate any fun-play. She sighed lightly and slightly looked down at her feet.

"We…..I…..yes. We wanted to accept you, but you weren't letting us in." She slowly lifted her head and saw the same expression greet her eyes. "Everyone is used to your anti-social ways. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"No." Vincent said as he turned his head away from Tifa's gaze. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way. I just….it's just-

"You don't owe me any explanation. I know why you did what you did, and I can't be upset with you. You were protecting what you had left inside of you."

Vincent looked into Tifa's almond-shaped eyes. They were full of understanding. Tifa never once judged Vincent. She tries to stray away from being judgmental. Yuffie and Tifa were the only to living souls that knew something more about the shunned gunslinger. It made him feel a wave of tranquility, but it also made him worry.

"It takes a brave woman to understand me and welcome a complete mystery into her life."

Tifa made a funny sound with her lips and waved her hand. "It's okay Vincent. Haven't you read the firework message?"

Vincent couldn't stop the smile that tugged the corners of his lips. Tifa returned the same gesture with a small laugh to go with it. She wished Vincent a good night before leaving his room and going back to hers. She comfortably propped her pillows to her desire and began reading the first chapter to _Dante's Pride._

**I'm going to let you guys figure out the wishes. Also, here are the solutions to the Wutainese lines.**

"Poelpe of tihs ntioan, I psernt Pirnscess Lyra. She will be the ftuure of all of us. Lyra's hiar sihend btighlry as the ray rftlecteed her slmal set of tteeth."

**That means: "People of this nation, I present Princess Lyra. She will be the future of all of us. Lyra's hair shined brightly as the ray reflected her small set of teeth."**

**In case you have noticed, my way of 'creative Wutainese language' is consisted of scrambling a word but ensuring that the first and last letters of the word are in its proper place. That is why some words such as 'the' and 'ray' were spelled correctly.**

**Until next time readers….**


	6. Informing Denzel the News

**Happy New Year's guys! I hope the new update schedule will be pleasing to some. Anyways, thanks for the reviews. As usual, they mean a lot to me.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains character development and mild sadness. You have been warned.**

Tifa woke up around 5:30 in the morning. She continued to read chapter one of _Dante's Pride_ until her eyes could no longer stay open. Although her eyes and body said no, she went against their will and packed a small bag for the trip back to Midgar. At first she was just going let Cloud gather his belongings without her presence, but the more she thought about it as she allowed her body drift into a peaceful slumber, she realized that she may need to be the one to break the news to Denzel. After packing her things, she tried contacting Shelke and Tseng via holograph. No one answered as expected. She called their phones and left a voice mail stating their arrivals. She grabbed her small bag and left her room. When she entered the kitchen, she greeted Rebecca, who was making a big pot of coffee.

"Would you like some coffee?" Rebecca asked Tifa as Tifa took a seat at the counter and dropped her head. She was still weary from the previous night.

"No thanks." Was Tifa's reply as she waved her hand. She knew she could get some more sleep on the _Shera_.

Moments later, Cloud appeared in the kitchen and gave Rebecca a light peck on her lips. She handed him a mug and Cloud sat at the table.

"Why are you up so early?" Cloud asked.

"I wanted to be there for Denzel." Tifa replied in a muffled voice. She didn't lift her head up to acknowledge him.

A few sips of coffee echoed through the kitchen as Tifa, Cloud, and Rebecca awaited Cid's arrival. As soon as Rebecca washed the mugs that her and Cloud used, Cid appeared from the hallway that wasn't far from the kitchen.

"Alrighty people, let's get a move on so I get back with the wife."

Everyone got up and left the kitchen. Tifa made sure that the door was closed and locked before boarding the _Shera. _Before going to her normal room, she asked Cid if he needed help with anything. Cid, knowing that Tifa had some things conflicting inside of her, let her go. Though Cid could've used the help because he was so used to Shera helping him that he didn't realized how much he had to prep on his own.

"I already miss her…."

It took longer than usual to kick-start the _Shera _but Cid made sure everything were okay, he reeved the engine and began making his way to Midgar.

**At 7****th**** Heaven….**

"Did you receive a voicemail from Tifa stating that she, Cid, and Cloud would be arriving this morning?" Shelke asked Tseng as she poured herself some orange juice.

"No, I haven't checked my PHS." Tseng replied. "I thought they were leaving for three months, not three days."

"Apparently something has come up. She didn't go into details."

Shelke placed the orange juice back in the fridge and sat down across from Tseng. A few sips of orange juice here and there echoed through the kitchen as the two sitters waited for their comrade's arrival. When the bar slightly shook from the wave the _Shera _emitted, Shelke and Tseng got up and walked out of the door. Cid was the first to appear from the ramp, which surprisingly, he had a cup of coffee up to his lips instead of a cancer stick.

"Good morning Cid. Is everything okay?" Shelke asked as Cloud was walking down the ramp.

"Everything's fine. Just needed to make a quick stop."

Cid slurped on his coffee as he walked off the ramp completely and lightly went by Tseng and Shelke. He went upstairs and went into one of the spare rooms he always used whenever visiting.

"Tell me when you guys are ready to go!"

Cid slammed the door, hoping someone heard him. Gosh, he missed his wife dearly now. Cid's voice caused Denzel to wake upp. He began wiping his eyes away from sleep and crust as he slowly began walking down the stairs. As usual, he wished Shelke and Tseng a good morning, but it didn't register in his brain that Tifa and Cloud were there. He wiped his eyes vigorously to ensure he wasn't seeing things. He ran up to Tifa and leaped into her arms. After giving Tifa some love, he gave Cloud a less lovey-dovey hug, but it was still a hug nonetheless.

"What are you doing here?" Denzel asked sleepily. "I thought you guys were going to be gone for three months."

"We're still on vacation, but Denzel, I have to tell you something."

Tifa couldn't find the words to tell Denzel what needed to be said. Cloud left the kitchen without a word, and went upstairs. Denzel frowned at the odd behavior that was exerted in the kitchen. He tore his questioning eyes from Tifa and placed them on Rebecca, who just walked into the bar.

"You have a lovely bar Tifa. Business must be booming."

"Yeah. I thought I would have to close it after Midgar's destruction, but eventually everything went back to normal in due time." Tifa replied with a smile.

Denzel didn't take his eyes away from Rebecca. He lightly tapped Tifa's arm to get her attention. Reality struck and Tifa gave a subtle smile towards Denzel.

"This is Rebecca. She's Cloud's….girlfriend."

She tried to use a different word in hopes the sting would do minimal damage to Denzel as soon as the phrase left her lips. She noticed Denzel's eyes were a little wider than normal. He snapped his head back towards Rebecca.

"Cloud's girlfriend? Is Cloud going to stay with you from now on?"

It was now Rebecca's turn to hesitate. She didn't want to leave a bad taste in the child's mouth. She heard stories of Denzel from Cloud, Cloud saying that Denzel never had a father, and that Cloud was the only father he had. She didn't realize how much the child idolized Cloud so much.

"Every time someone says they love me, they wind up leaving me!"

Denzel snatched away from Tifa as his sobs grew heavier as he ran up the stairs. Rebecca made a quick dash for the stairs with Tifa behind her. Tseng and Shelke stood in dismay, unsure of what they should do.

"Should we intervene?" Shelke asked.

"Only when asked to. For now, this is a very delicate situation that can only be solved by Cloud and Tifa."

Leaving the situation alone, Tseng and Shelke went into the kitchen area and continued drinking their orange juice. Tifa's feeble attempts in opening Denzel's door were useless. She pointed Rebecca in the direction of Cloud's room. Rebecca gave her a light nod and went inside the bedroom.

"I know this is hard for you to accept sweetie." Tifa began sweetly. "But Cloud has a life too you know?" When she didn't hear a reply from Denzel, she continued. "Cloud will never stop loving you, Denzel. You will be able to see him still, but not as often as you would like."

"It's bad enough I can't see him like I want to! Now I really can't see him cause he's leaving!" Denzel's voice boomed through the bar. Tifa heard the stifled sobs in the room. She almost broke down and cried because Denzel was crying, but she had to be strong.

"He's just going to another city is all. You can still see him. How about I let him see you whenever he has a day off? How does that sound?"

When Denzel didn't reply to the suggestion, Tifa let out a deep sigh. There was nothing more she could do but watch him suffer through the pain he is currently experiencing.

"Let me try to speak with him."

Tifa stepped aside and allowed Cloud to approach the door. Tifa left and went into one of spare rooms to look for Cid. He might as well start preparing the _Shera_ and she could help him, or help herself with the distraction.

"Denzel, open up the door."

Cloud's firm tone of voice made Denzel get up and open the door, but he immediately went back to his bed. Cloud stepped inside and stood over Denzel as Denzel clutched his pillow.

"Why are you leaving, Cloud? You promised you will always be there for me."

"I'm still here for you, just not as often. I'm sorry Denzel, I really am. It isn't fair to Rebecca, you, or Tifa."

Denzel forced some snot back into his nose. He tore his eyes away from the blanket that was thrown aside against the wall and looked into Cloud's cerulean eyes.

"Why is she so much better than us?"

Cloud took a huge gulp. He expected Denzel to angry, but not callous. Sure, he wasn't the same Denzel that Cloud first encountered, but the way he said those words almost made Cloud flinch away.

"Everyone is equally the same." Cloud finally answered. "Tifa and I were living with one another to provide you a better life. We were never boyfriend-girlfriend. I know you thought differently, but our relationship isn't like that. We both knew that we would end up liking someone else as time went on."

"How come you can't _like _Tifa?"

"Because I _like _Rebecca. Tifa and I are no more than friends." Cloud paused for a moment as he pondered that statement. Denzel's sniffled brought him back into reality. "I don't expect you to like Rebecca like you do Tifa, but you will respect her."

Denzel sniffed again and nodded. "I'm going to go and apologize to her."

Cloud thanked the heavens that Denzel has excellent home-training skills. He got up from the bed and left the room. He paused in front of Rebecca, and stared at his feet for a while. He quickly looked up at her when he heard Cloud's footsteps getting closer to him.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you."

Rebecca smiled at the child and kneeled down to his height level. "It's okay. I hated my mother's boyfriend when I met him at first. I felt like he was taking her away from me, but in the end, he made her happy."

Denzel gave Rebecca a soft, genuine smile. "Can I visit some time?"

"Of course you can."

Denzel's smile grew brighter as he heard Rebecca's words. She outstretched her hand to Denzel to give her a high-five. Denzel did the gesture and was sent to his room by Cloud. Cloud said his parting words as he slowly closed the door.

"Will he be okay?" Rebecca asked.

"With time on his side, he can heal." Cloud looked over Rebecca's shoulder glancing at his packed belongings. With another small sigh escaping his lips, Cloud motioned for Rebecca to follow him and help with his things. Since Rebecca lives in Rocket Town, and Cid has to make a stop there, he hoped Cid wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes for him to put his things in its proper place: Rebecca's abode.

**On the **_**Shera**_**….**

"How are you handling everything?" The middle-aged man asked he began doing his usual procedures before bringing his second love to life. Cid was grateful that Tifa tagged along; it made the proper steps breeze by.

"I'm handling it better than expected." Tifa jotted down some notes on a piece of paper that was attached to a clipboard and handed it to Cid. "I'm more concerned about Denzel."

"He should be okay. Give it a week and he'll be himself."

Tifa gave Cid a small smile in response before going to her room. As soon as her hand touched the door knob, Cloud came out of his private quarters. She stared into his blue pools, looking for an answer as to why he waited all this time to tell her. Was she jealous? Was she hurt because Denzel won't have a full time father? Was it deceit? Sure, her and Cloud were never _active_ but out of respect, he should have told her earlier. Surely that was the answer.

"I didn't mean to stir up trouble." He finally said. He really didn't mean to inflict so much pain, but he knew it had to be done. Toying with one's heart is not a good action on anyone's part.

Shaking her head, she casually waved her hand as if to say "don't worry about it". "I'm a little hurt that you waited this late to say something, but I'm not upset that you have pursued a relationship with someone."

He nodded his head in response to her statement. He left the conversation at that and went back inside his quarters. Tifa, on the other hand, was conflicted with herself. So many emotions flowed through her body and one that wasn't there was sadness. She couldn't shake feeling some sort of animosity towards Rebecca for taking Cloud away from Denzel, despite the fact that it was very immature of her to do so. Her dislike towards Rebecca is misguided and she knew she needed to have some time to herself or blow off some steam to rid her of the hate. Deciding that that was best choice, she went inside her room, closed the door and grabbed _Dante's Pride _and began reading Chapter 2, despite Vincent's orders.

**Back at Costa del Sol….**

"What in the hell do you have set up in the living room, Yuffie!?"

Barret's voice boomed throughout the condo. Yuffie grinned as she plugged wires into and from the projector-sized screen that was now replacing the flat screen.

"It's time for some Dance Dance Revolution!"

She happily came from behind the projector and grabbed the remote that was on the coffee table and with one touch of a button, a game appeared on the screen with bright, vibrate colors and techno music.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Yuffie happily squealed.

Barret frowned. "Well I'm not dancing so count me out."

"Good! The less party poopers, the better."

Barret rolled his eyes at the youngest comrade and went to his room. Yuffie began spreading out the dance pad as Nolan walked into the living room. He glanced at the projector and back at his fiancée.

"You just couldn't resist huh?"

Yuffie giggled as she began smoothing out the pad. "Well, you know me. Why not have fun and workout at the same time?"

He couldn't argue with that. He sat down on the couch and admired his future wife as she continued to tending to the dance pad. Moments later, Shera walked inside the living room, admiring Yuffie's handy work.

"Let me guess, this is your idea, Yuffie."

"Guilty as charged!" She replied happily as she began tapping the arrow icons on the pad to be sure they were responsive.

"I think we should change the batteries just in case." Shera noticed the down arrow wasn't as responsive as the other arrows.

"Yeah…."

Yuffie got up and went into the kitchen to find four double AA batteries. Shera went over to the pad and started to stomp on it with her feet to get some practice in. A few minutes later, Yuffie returned with the batteries and began taking out the old ones while Shera continued to play around on the mat. Moments later, Cid, Cloud, Rebecca, and Tifa came inside the front door. The four of them came inside and acknowledged their friends as they took a seat on the couches.

"I assume the scrimmages are going to be put off until tomorrow?" Cid asked as he began pulling out a cigarette but decided against because he knew the watchful of eyes of his wife were watching him.

"I mean, we can still do that tonight." Yuffie reassured him. "It's only five in the afternoon."

"How about we start at nine?" Red interjected as he walked into the living room and curled into a ball near Tifa's feet. "It is kind of early."

"I think everyone will be too tired from dancing." Shera said as she walked off the dancing pad. "Besides, it'll be something to do tomorrow before Nolan leaves."

Everyone agreed and continued to watch Yuffie make the last-minute preparations on the game before backing away from the device, smiling at her creation.

"Okay! Let's dance!"

**Five hours later….**

Shera wasn't kidding when she said everyone would be tired from dancing, well, the majority of the comrades. Red, Barret, Cloud, and of course, Vincent, sat out on the fun. Tifa, Rebecca, Yuffie, Nolan, Shera, and even Cid had some fun. Cid's heavy smoking is starting to catch up with him as he had to take several breaks to get oxygen regulated in and out of his lungs. It was now ten in the evening and Yuffie had just finished her last dance.

"I think it's safe to say that we are all pooped." Yuffie heaved in between her words.

"Yeah." Shera agreed. "I'm wiped out. I think I'm going to shower and head off to bed."

Cid followed her shortly after; Yuffie and Nolan turned in early as well after Yuffie neatly put everything away with Tifa's help. Tifa wasn't quite ready to turn it yet; she wanted to learn more Wutainese from Vincent. He wasn't a part of the dancing group so she decided to go upstairs to pay him a visit. She knocked on his door several times before hesitatingly opening the door. She scrunched her face when she didn't see any sign of him being in his room. _Odd. I didn't hear or see anyone leave the condo earlier today._

She walked over to the window to see if she can find him on the beach. She sighed, figuring she'll have to wait tomorrow for further instructions. As she began walking out the empty room she stepped on something. Frowning, she knelled down and picked the gold, foreign object. It was definitely a weird piece of gold, or what she concluded it to be. It looked like a scale from a piece of armor that Vincent owned, but she doesn't recall wearing gold armor, besides his gauntlet. _His gauntlet is smooth, not rigid like this. _

She figured Vincent wouldn't make such a fuss over a piece of metal, or gold so she pocket it and left his room. She decided to go to her room and read chapters 1 and 2 over until her eyes couldn't stay open. Tomorrow was the scrimmage, and maybe a fight or two would help her blow off some steam.

**Until next time readers….**


End file.
